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Elderly man stands up to violent burglars

An 84-year old Albuquerque man fought back against two violent criminals and won.

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Updated: 12:20 AM MST Feb 4, 2014

Elderly man stands up to violent burglars

An 84-year old Albuquerque man fought back against two violent criminals and won.

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Updated: 12:20 AM MST Feb 4, 2014

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WEBVTT IT WAS JUST ONE PUNCH--BUT IT HURT ENOUGH, TO GET TWO BURGLARS OUT OF HIS HOUSE. AN 84-YEAR-OLD ALBUQUERQUE MAN FOUGHT BACK AGAINST TWO VIOLENT CRIMINALS... AND HE'S SHARING HIS STORY ONLY WITH KOAT ACTION 7 NEWS REPORTER ALANA GRIMSTAD. ALL MEN HAVE A WEAK SPOT--AND AN 84-YEAR-OLD MAN HELD AT GUNPOINT KNEW HOW TO USE IT TO SAVE HIS LIFE. If you get hit the right way, oh, that's painful. MAYBE IT WAS TOM'S TRAINING AS A MARINE THAT GAVE HIM THE COURAGE TO FIGHT BACK, WHEN HE SAYS TWO YOUNG MEN BROKE INTO HIS HOUSE AND TERRORIZED HIM. Four times, my life was threatened in a way. TOM SAYS HE WOKE UP SUDDENLY... This is where I was sleeping. STARING STRAIGHT INTO THE BARREL OF A GUN. A large revolver. It wasn't no small one you put in a purse. HE SAYS THE CROOKS KICKED IN THE BACK DOOR, STOLE A T-V, A GUN, A LAPTOP...AND HIS CAR. BUT THEY ALSO LEFT WITH A FEW BRUISES--A BRUISED GROIN AND A BRUISED EGO. Any time they pointed the gun, I just stood my ground. AT ONE POINT, TOM SAYS ONE OF THE CRIMINALS TRIED TO CHOKE HIM WITH A RADIO CORD WHILE FORCING HIM DOWN ON THE GROUND. He tried to tie around my neck, the cord. The black cord. THAT'S WHEN TOM PUNCHED HIM BELOW THE BELT. I just took my fists and cause he's right at my height if I'm kneeling on the floor and he's standing right at the height for the groin. Albuquerque police have already arrested one suspect, Jose Gomez, and are looking for the other. They thought because he was elderly, living alone, that they might be able to easily victimize him and get away with what their plan was. And I think they thought wrong. AND TOM SAYS IT WAS NOT SO MUCH THE POWER OF HIS PUNCH, BUT THE POWER OF HIS PRAYERS THAT SAVED HIM. I go to church everyday. And because of that I think he kept me alive. IN ABQ, AG KA7N. TOM SAYS, THE BURGALRS TOLD HIM THEY'RE BROTHERS; AND EVEN SHARED THAT THEIR FATHER IS A MARINE VETERAN AS WELL. AND....ONE OF THE BURGLARS WAS HUNGRY... SO TOM FED HIM SWEET BUNS AND MILK.

Elderly man stands up to violent burglars

An 84-year old Albuquerque man fought back against two violent criminals and won.